Dreamers Web
by Daiyu Amaya
Summary: a compendium of batman related thoughts that spewed from my mind onto the crisp white pages that turned to ash as I wrote them on the internet.
1. Beginning and end

**Beginning and end**

**This is a tribute to all the cool batman things I've ever seen, I've gone a put a spin on an old favorite of the two who will not stop fighting. The dark knight gave me inspiration to write a multitude of one shots involving characters from not only the dark knight movie but some of the older ones too. Hope you enjoy the story!**

* * *

_Don't run away_

_I can't live without you_

_Please stay_

_And I learn to love you right_

_I was waiting for you_

_Waiting for all my life_

_And I've been crying for you_

_Dying for you all this time._

I shook my head at the damned song on the radio, why did I even bother to turn the thing on? My tongue flitted out to moisten my drying lips and face paint. I didn't like the taste of the paint but I still did it. Couldn't stop. It was a tick after all, I sighed it was show time! Batman just couldn't stay away, and how could he when I kept this city on its toes?

"aww you came batsy, I was wondering if you would but you-uhh never disappoint."

Batman's eyes narrowed slightly at me as if I had done something bad to him or something. Which was true, I had done something bad as I always did.

"Joker, why did you kill Bruce Wayne?"

I was startled; I hadn't wanted to kill the pretty boy! No, I hadn't wanted to kill him, only make him bleed and bait the batman. But I could have sworn the pretty little millionaire had lived! I hadn't hit him too hard, had I?

"I-uhh killed him?"

Batman shrugged. This wasn't the bat I knew. He normally cared about others; He normally kicked my ass when I hurt anyone but him! Well ok he kicked my butt for hurting him too.

"He wasn't breathing when I left."

I shivered at his tone. He sounded as if he could care less. That was news to me; I had thought that he and Wayne were lovers. That was why I attacked the man. I guess I was wrong.

"Hmm, you weren't."

I muttered causing Batman gave me a strange look. But he didn't seem to understand the thought.

"Weren't what?"

I blinked and laughed aloud. Might as well tell him why I attacked the man.

"I thought you and Wayne were lovers."

He snorted lightly, as if he thought it was funny I had even consider thinking that.

"Me and him, why in god's name would you think about that?"

He smiled and sat in the dingy chair before me. He didn't care about how dangerous I was anymore?

"Why not, ha ha ha he never seemed to be around when you were as if he was scared of you."

I shook my head softly. I didn't understand it. Why didn't he care about any of this? Why didn't he care that I had killed Wayne?

"Don't like him that way. Not the one I want to pound into the floor."

I was startled, so he did like someone.

"Are you even into that?"

He must have lifted a eyebrow under the silly mask he wore.

"That? You mean men?"

I nodded curtly. He smiled and traced his lips with a finger.

"Maybe."

I took a step closer. He didn't move or even flinch. So I took a few more. Straddling his waist I gasped as he pressed up against me. Was I the one he was talking about? He wanted to pound me into the ground?

"Batsy?"

He grinned at me, his teeth perfectly white... Now I knew, Batman was Bruce...why had he said that he was dead? But he wanted to sleep with me his enemy? He could have anyone so why was it that he chose me?


	2. Goodnight Harley

**Goodnight Harley **

_This is a little different for me since I normally don't write Harley Quinn._

**Character death/Romance**

* * *

I wandered the streets not sure of what I was looking for, the Joker for once was not at my side, I know I was longing for something, but that something eluded me. I sighed and wiped my brow, a smudge of white face paint covered my black glove. I stared down at it and wondered once again how I had allowed my life to end up this way. Why had I let him talk me into being his lover and accomplice? I had been so completely warped by him that I couldn't see it. Couldn't realize it and I had been trained not to fall for the ideas of the insane. But I had, I was young and dumb. Batman stopped us time and time again. But we just kept killing people, ourselves a little bit every day...maybe it was time to just fade away?

* * *

I stared at Harley as she walked down the alley way I had been watching. She shambled down the way, leading her right to the danger of the thugs that were down there and she had yet to notice their presence. I waited almost to the last moment to leap down on them as they went to attack her. She just stood there grimly as I beat them. She didn't bother to try and get away like all the other times we had met in the past.

"Batman what are you staring at? I haven't done anything yet tonight."

I sighed and looked at the poor woman, a bit of her painted face was skin colored, had she been in a fight? And she was skinny as a stray cat...what was going on with Jokers right hand?

"_Yet _being your keyword of the night?"

She gave an almost inaudible snort of laughter, Not at all like the high laughter I was used to.

"Not really, I hadn't thought about being a bad gal tonight."

I looked at her closely, She looked fatigued and in need of something to eat.

"You look ill."

She nodded. Still she didn't look as if she would last much longer... Why was she in such a state? Was this an ill formed plan hatched by the Joker?

"Haven't eaten in a while and sleep seems to have eluded me as of last week."

I didn't know why she told me these things. Maybe the lack of sleep was affecting her mind. I almost gasped as she slumped to the ground.

"Joker isn't taking too good care of you if you're this way."

I muttered as I picked her up. She shook her head.

"He doesn't know how I have been for a week cuz I left."

I nodded and took her to the bat mobile. As I drove she drifted in and out of consciousness.

* * *

I noticed how his car smelled of sweat and blood faintly, all the wounds and things that me and Joker had done to him... Why was he willing to help one who had hurt him so much? I looked at him, strongly built and intelligent...why was he wasting all of that on being batman? I almost asked but stopped myself, it wouldn't do to have him angry at my daring.

"Where are you taking me batman?"

He sighed softly and replied;

"Somewhere so you can eat safely and sleep. don't worry I won't hurt you or turn you in."

I nodded off as he spoke. I must have been more tired than before...

* * *

I looked at Harley as I reached the bat cave... She wasn't breathing. I checked her pulse and sighed softly, pulling my mask off I sank into my chair. Dead. I was too late to help her, but why was she dead?

"Bruce?"

I looked up at him.

"Alfred..."

He looked at Harley's corpse, No she wasn't sleeping my dear friend. She was stone cold dead.

"What happened if I may?"

I shook my head;

"I haven't the faintest clue. She told me that she was having trouble sleeping this past week and that she hasn't been eating well either. I don't know what the cause of her death is just yet...I just couldn't. I don't know what to do."

He sighed at me and sat down too.

"Is he involved?"

The Joker, This was his fault. She was dead and she hadn't seen him in one week... But why hadn't she seen him in a week.

* * *

I stared at the coffin that my dear Harley was in, why had she left me? Why had she died? I looked up and saw Bruce Wayne. Why was he here? They hadn't really known each other had they? I looked back to Harley. She looked very different without her face paint on, she could be just sleeping...Dead. Died from lack of food and sleep. That was the coroner's report anyway; they had also found trace amounts of some kind of drug in her system. They didn't know what they were, wouldn't till the blood test for drugs came out. But my Harley had never partaken of drugs... No, that had been me.

"We therefore commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life."

The Priest. A holy man who the hell gave him the right to be a 'holy' man? Eternal life? Bull shit. She was gone and that was that. My Harley was dead and I still didn't know why she was gone.


	3. Green Eyes

**Green Eyes **

**Morbid thoughts ahead/Rambling Joker**

* * *

I had always been a man of my word, since my father had said a man who didn't keep his word wasn't a man at all. He had told me that before I was married to Marsha Lesley... before he died, before the mob killed my whole family and my wife. Before I didn't care about anything but to destroy the mob, destroy Gotham. I wanted to see this pathetic little city burn to the ground at my feet. Everyone would pay for what had happened in this city, not just to me but to anyone who had lost their mind and life. Till I met him that is, batman...well he intrigued me, He was dark, but not in the same sense as I was. He was good, fighting the crime of the city. I had to wonder who he was, why he did the things he did. Why I felt a rush from fighting him, smart and strong, maybe very handsome...Why would he go out and fight when he knew he'd get hurt? I sighed then took a drag on the cigarette I was smoking, soon he'd come here to the warehouse I had all set up for him, I almost laughed at myself for smoking, The smoke drifted though my scars that were only partly healed. I had holes in them still.

"Joker!"

He was here; ready to play whatever game I was going to make him play. He froze when he saw the dead people, all were my crones but he didn't know that.

"JOKER!"

He was seething mad at the death I had caused.

"Aww did I make you mad?"

I stepped from the shadows taking another drag from the death stick as my mother called them. His eye's flicked to it as if I would throw it at him, not that it would do anything to him...though the gasoline... that would light to high heaven. I cackled at the thought. Maybe the fire would be fun?

"Joker, why did you let it get spread that you were here when you really were?"

I smiled at him, not that I wasn't already. He growled at me when I gave no answer. I flicked the damn thing at the dead; they lit up like a x-mas tree. He sighed and walked to me, I didn't move, why wouldn't my legs work? Why would I let him get this close? I gasped as he pushed me against the wall.

"I don't know."

I hated how I sounded so weak... He pulled me off my feet and slammed me against the wall my head banged against it too hard and I saw stars and then black.

* * *

I sighed as I knocked the Joker out. I hadn't meant to knock him out... I guess I had to do something with the man; I picked him up and took him to the Bat-Mobile. He looked frail passed out in the chair like that. If he got rid of the paint then he would look handsome... or at least I thought so... It was hard to believe that the strong, crazy man was possibly handsome. I wanted to wipe that damn face paint off to see if he was. I knew he had beautiful green eyes... they were so bright green, almost like a leaf in the sunlight. When he got mad they were still bright but darker. He was bad I knew that but something had made him that way. Why was he so intent on making Gotham burn?

* * *

My head hurt like I had a hangover, I knew I'd had nothing to drink, I don't drink too often, It's rather bad for my image. Bad for me because it could get me killed. So a sip here and there was all I ever had. I sat up. a rather dank and cave like room, A steel door placed to stop me from leaving. So Batman did have a cave! I giggled at the thought that batsy hung upside down to sleep among the other bats. I knew he'd come soon to get me.

"Oh batsy come on your too slow!"

I cackled as I said that, I was quickly slammed into the wall.

"Really now am I?"

I choked as his fist closed over my throat. My feet struck out at him and the wall, he was taller than me and I couldn't touch the ground, was he really trying to kill me? I pressed against him, gaging and seeing the darkness around the edges of my eyes. What was he trying to do to me?

"Et go!"

I rasped somehow. He dropped me and stared at me as a gasped for air. I almost died.. He could have killed me.

"You know I could have kept it up. I showed you mercy and you need help."

I growled, so he thought he could fool me? I leaped at him anger flaring in my heart and all I saw was red.

"I'm not weak! I don't need help you _bastard_!"

He must not have expected my attack or my anger with his words. I didn't care I just wanted to hurt him like he had hurt me. I had spent so long trying to tell myself and the world that I was better than them... But I knew it wasn't true... I was lower than the rats. Fighting Batman was what kept me going now... And he thought that _I_. I needed help? What about him? Dress as bat kind of person didn't quite make that list? Now that was about as normal as me. I was strange to people, He scared most of the people that he saved too. So why did he think that we were different? How did that work? True I killed and he didn't try to, but to the eyes of the public we were as bad as the other. He dodged me and went for a round house kick. I saw it but didn't move; as I hit the wall I realized I wanted him to be the one to finish me. Finish the mess I had become...

* * *

Kat, thank you for the review, it meant a lot to me, and inspired me to fix this for there were errors. Maybe there are others that I didn't get but I have only so much brains lol.


	4. Daughters and Drugs

**Daughters and Drugs**

**So here we are again! The next installment of Dreamers Web! Hope you enjoy it!  
I don't own Batman so don't sue me! ^-^;  
****Effects of drugs/family showing up**

* * *

**Wayne's POV**

I sighed, looking over the files I'd gotten on the F.B.I agents that had come to town some of them for all the crazies but one of them was going to do something else but it didn't say what. I wondered what the hell that was about. What could she be doing in this city? Her name was Charlie Napier. I knew that name, she was the youngest F.B.I agent ever found. She was sixteen when they found her talent, She had lost her mother to a robber, just like I'd lost my parents, her father however was Jack Napier, he was missing presumed dead, had been for years... and yet she was good, hadn't gone down the drains. There was something about her that reminded me of someone else, her eyes were so green, cold and yet bright. It was similar to the Jokers own eyes the ones that haunted me.

* * *

**Work at the Enterprise (Still Wayne's POV)**

I sighed why did I come in? My father's enterprise was well maintained after all.

"Mister Wayne? There's a Charlie Napier who wants to see you?"

I nearly gasped, why did she want to see me?

"Send her in."

The sectarian left to get her. She walked in her long brown hair swished as she closed the door, when her eyes met mine they were sparking with mischief; she wore a nice blue dress-shirt and black slacks. Her shoes were however a deep blue. She walked like a tiger, ready to leap into action against the bad of the world.

"Hello Mister Wayne, Gordon said I should talk to you about something's that have been going on."

What was she talking about?

"I should elaborate? I mean why the Joker would go after you, Rachel was your friend..."

I shivered lightly at the implying words that came from her mouth.

"He was after-"

She cut me off with a wave of her hand.

"No, he was after you, and I know what you are. Gordon tried to dissuade me that you weren't the bat. But I knew just as I knew who the Joker really is."

I was surprised, how did she know when no one else could figure it out.

"Who is he really?"

She smirked, and sat in a chair.

"Tell me where you're hiding him."

She was a hard bargainer. And I did have him. He'd gotten hurt, but I couldn't bring myself to hand him over to the cops. Not yet.

"Safe, I'll take you tonight if you want."

She smiled softly and nodded.

"Alright, this for that. The man is...was my father."

* * *

**Joker's P.O.V**

I woke with pain, the constant reminder that I am alive. Not that I wanted to die just yet but I didn't want to be alive, I hadn't for so long.

"So you're awake. Mind telling me what the hell you were thinking Joker?"

Bat. He must have taken me under his wing. I giggled. Yeah his big strong wing. That made me laugh even harder. Oh how I loved to crack myself up. No one ever really got my Jokes!

"I think he's delirious bats. Or is he always like this? I haven't seen him in years and not this loopy."

A woman said. I looked at her. She looked like my dear Fucking wife... I hated that bitch; she died on me...only this woman had my eyes, a nice shade of green...

"And who are you?"

And what drugs did I have in my system?

"You really don't know? For the love of- He's lost his marbles. No wonder he's so out of whack."

Marbles? Oh those pretty little marbles... Oh I never really lost them, just didn't want them.

"Your preetty."

She chuckled.

"Oh dear, you really have lost your mind. I'm not really pretty Joker; I'm like you after all."

What did that mean?

"I'm your flesh and blood after all. Father."

Ever thing froze. This was my daughter? Charlie was five right? Please don't tell me I lost track of too many years, I really hoped that this woman wasn't my Charlie because that would mean I was way too old for the crap I pulled on a constant basis.

"Father, it's been twenty years since you last saw me. It's only to be expected that you wouldn't remember me. You couldn't have known."

Twenty years...It had been so long. How long had I been like this? I had left her all alone...What had I been thinking?

"M'h sorry Charlie. I should have stayed for you."

She sighed.

"Bats what did you give him?"

He said something but I was so out of it! Whatever it was, it was strong as hell. I felt so sick. My gut grumbled its anger at the stuff in my system.

"Just so you know, he's going to be this way for a few hours. I have the same problem. Don't put drugs into our systems if you can help it."

Bat nodded I think. But gods would the world calm the fuck down? It was going up and down and every which way. Oh make the world stop...

"You looook funnnny."

I giggled at them, they did. The world spun and they went this way and that.

"Don't give him drugs next time bats."

She walked off.

"Who would have known you'd get so loopy on drugs."

I grinned and gave him the thumbs up. But I was always with a smile wasn't I...

"Uhhh, you don't know the half of it."


	5. Travelers Tale

**Travelers Tale**

**This story is just something I thought up and wondered where I was going with it and why this song got stuck in my head while I wrote it.**

* * *

**Midnight at the glamour show on a Sunday Night  
Everybody drink alotta whiskey and wine  
We dance like no tomorrow  
We're on Burlesque time  
But everybody's gotta work tomorrow at nine**

**Touch me t-touch me baby but don't mess up my hair  
Love me l-love me crazy  
But don't get too attached, this is a brink affair**

**Vanity (pictures in magazines, movie screens)  
Vanity (there is a camera, so many beauty queens)  
Vanity (it's so good to be)  
Popular and glamorous, we love ourselves and no one else  
Va-va-va-va-vanity va-vanity, va-va-va-vanity**

**Nothin' wrong with being just a little bit vain  
We need a little pretty cuz this country's insane  
So go ahead and label me whatever you like  
But nothings quite as sexy as a woman is fine**

* * *

"Hunny I'm home."

I was tired out of my mind from the office, my feet were killing me and my back had seen better days. They often worked me for hours and let me out late and it was late, midnight almost and I had a long day, Was Tiffany asleep already? Or out at the casino again... Whimpering caused me pause, who? I started to search the house, was Tiffany OK? Was she hurt? I entered the kitchen to see the floor covered in blood and a streak of life force that lead to the upstairs bedroom... Tiffany was curled up in the bathroom that led to our bedroom; I froze at the sight of all the blood on her, what had happened to her?

"OH God!"

I rushed to her side, her face was turned away from me, I tried to turn her over, but she wouldn't let me. What was going on?

"Don't, I. They made me ugly..."

They? It had to be the sharks again, she gambled and got in too deep... like she always did, no matter how much I made, how many things I got her or how much I loved her... She wanted to gamble it all away... not that I didn't love her only that it hurt me to love her and not have her love anymore...

"Hunny, I love you, I don't care about that."

I finally turned her over, her face was covered in gashes, her cheeks split into half's and her forehead and chin showed a knife cut across them, I knew she was losing too much blood and if I didn't hurry I would lose the only person who had ever loved me at least for a little while.

"Hunny I'm going to call nine-one-one, just hang on."

I rushed to the phone...

* * *

"I'm leaving and I want a divorce, how could you think that this would make me happy?"

I gasped sharply as she turned away and walked out the door, leaving me to live alone...possibly forever. I laughed and laughed and I couldn't stop even if my cuts on my face burned and ached, I had been so serious all of my life and now, now I saw the funny side to all of this, She would leave me, She had never loved me, no one could have ever loved me. Things were going to get better, once you hit the bottom you couldn't go lower. When you hit the bottom you had not a thing to live for...

* * *

I cackled at the man scooting away from me, of course someone would take Ann even if no one would take me, This excuse for a man was living with my ex-wife, she was fucking him and I was going to kill him. Ann was going to get a surprise tonight.

"You know fucking her was the wrong thing to do buddy."

He whimpered lightly and I shot him point blank. I arranged him on the couch and waited for my Ann to come home. This was going to be very funny. Two hours rolled around before I heard the key slide into the lock. The door opened;

"Hunny I'm home!"

She walked in and slammed the door, coming round the corner she gasped and tears began to fall down her face, which funnily enough was fixed up.

"Oh my god. Why. Why are you here Joker! Why did you kill my husband?"

She had remarried? This fat tub of lard was her husband?

"I do believe it was pay back dear...After all I had done for you, you chose to leave and marry... This fucker you say? I don't believe we had a fair arrangement Ann."

She gasped again and sunk to the floor.

"Jack? You can't be... He was a good man...Had, Had no spine."

I didn't did I. I was a good man once and this bitch had fucked me over so much.

"I know sweetie I was a coward. Now day's sweet cheeks I'm The Joker. You thought that you could just walk over me and take my life away because I was no longer pleasing to the eyes? Who the fuck cared? You had a fucked up face too!"

She whimpered at my anger;

"I know I was wrong... I don't know how to fix it!"

I grinned and stood up.

"I do."

* * *

I looked at the headline of the paper;

"MAN AND WOMAN BURTALLY MURDERED!"

I giggled and read on. Ah how I loved the paper.

'56 year old James corners and his wife Ann corners 48 were found last night by their worried baby sitter when they had failed to pick up 9 year old Jamie Corners. They were found in the living room James shot and Ann dead.'

Duh she was dead; I'd killed them both after all.

'the Joker is suspected of killing these two as his calling card was left behind, if you have any information about the deaths of James and Ann Corners please call'

I did it duh; I don't just rent my cards out. They would have found out by now that I hand paint my cards.

"Joker what did they ever do to you?"

I started and looked up at batman.

"They created me."


	6. A ride at midnight

**A ride at Midnight**

**Hm, the randomness of my mind when it comes to Batman...**

* * *

She stood in the cool night air waiting for someone, I couldn't tell how long she had been waiting but I couldn't just leave her here in the bad part of town. It was a bad place for anyone who didn't know this city well. She was a pretty young woman, long dark hair and long pale legs that peaked from under her skirt every time she moved. I wondered why she out here in the cold once more.

"Hey pretty momma."

A bunch of teen boys who thought they were the gods of the night. She glanced at them and looked what was she thinking? One of the boy's grabbed her and she turned serpentine on him, her hand snaked out and clawed him across the face. She had steel claws on. Well well what did we have here?

"Aw, did that hurt litta' momma's boy?"

She smiled, her dark hair slipping down around her face like a curtain. The boy looked up at her in fear and the others were frozen with fear or confusion.

"You know attacking a lady these days could get you killed little boy. Go home to momma so you don't die."

She said softly to the boy on the ground with three very distinctive claw marks now across his face, he nodded and ran off with his little friends. Howling at her and calling her rude names.

"Oh why do I bother with this city? All the garbage walking round thinking they're the shit. Really? Was I that way too as a teen?"

She was talking to herself. Great I could have been saving innocent people not watching a crazy person.

"uhh are you alone pretty lady?"

God's the Joker! Why was he out and about? Hadn't he been in Arkham? I had just put him back not even a week ago.

"Not anymore, But I'm glad to have finally met you. I come baring news for you from a shadow in the deepest pit of this city. 'Watch your back.' Although telling you that is a waste of breath."

And she started to walk off. Joker wasn't about to let that happen and neither was I. I jumped down and plowed him to the ground. He lay there out of breath and dazed, I wanted her more than him. She had connections that I needed at the moment. Him, I could find very easily.

"Well isn't it my lucky night. I'm meeting everyone in one place!"

She laughed; I finally noticed the color of her eyes. Green as green as the Jokers, They stared at me, her emotions hidden behind them like a dog that had been beaten too many times.

"You need to see me to? Does your 'shadow' need to part some words to me as well?"

She smiled right before throwing something at me; I dodge it and ran at her. She spun to avoid me. Throwing another sharp object at me, this time nicking my arm.

"Ah, come on and get me bats. I'm not hard to get!"

She laughed and kicked the Joker who decided he didn't like being ignored. I realized she was throwing razor sharp cards at us. Cards that had a lowly two on it.

"What are you called?"

I yelled at her as she batted the Joker away again. He really didn't have a chance with her, she was strong. Terribly uninterested in our attempts to attack her. She must have been fighting for her life for many years now.

"Nothing! I've no name."

She smiled at me, it wasn't deranged like the Jokers, and it was amused. She was amused at my attempt to find out who she was.

"Well Mrs. No Name, Why are you doing this?"

She just smiled at me and wagged her finger.

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

She laughed and smiled at me. Oh no. That didn't bode very well for the city.

"Why does your shadow man want to tell me to watch my back?"

She sighed softly;

"Did you really think you could have Harley under your thumb? She's smarter then you gave credit, she is going to throw everything you taught her back in your face. She'll kill you before you can say 'duh'."

Well now, how did this shadow know that? Joker got a terrible look on his face, a rage that I had only seen a few times before.

"You're lying. She wouldn't do that."

The woman shrugged and threw a smoke bomb. Joker cursed and I followed her as best as I could. Two blocks over she stopped.

"He gone bats?"

I stepped out of the shadows;

"Yes."

She nodded and pulled out a black and mild, lighting it she inhaled;

"I'm linnor Herst. I work for a friend of yours actually. He tells me that you are quite the hero. I seem to recall that the city holds you in contempt cuz you killed what's his face."

I sighed, this was Herst? She was a great business woman. I hadn't met her before but my contacts from Berlin had worked with her they were quite the pair, I don't think I would have any connections in Berlin if it wasn't for them, so If they said Linnor Herst was the devil in heels one was better off believing them.

"So Linnor, why are you here. Last I heard you were in china."

She smiled and took another drag.

"I wanted to see you for myself. I mean you are the boss."

I smiled and shrugged;

"I don't know what you're talking about."

She giggled;

"Aw come on Bruce, you can't fool me. I knew you and Mat were they only ones to know that I went to china."

Well she had me there. I sighed and motioned her to follow me; I took her to the bat mobile. She giggled and checked it out.

"Man I wanted to look at this beauty! It's so cool and sleek!"

I chuckled at her enthusiasm. Of course I loved this beast too.

"Want a ride?"

She looked up at me a look of pure and unhindered want in her eyes.

"Really?"


	7. Deja vu

**Deja vu**

**More pretty ladies tonight lol and another take on the Jokers past**

* * *

I wondered once again why I held these balls. No one ever caught my attention at the gatherings; no one was interesting enough for me. Too much time spent with the insane seemed to be driving me nuts.

"Bruce Wayne?"

I turned at the soft voice. She was quite beautiful, long silvery hair cascaded down pale shoulders, smoldering green eyes peered through thick lashes and a beautiful blue dress with no sleeves and sparkles of green jewels sprinkled at the bottom.

"Yes?"

She gave me a small smiled with full pouty lips. Hm, she was new and beautiful to boot.

"I'm Joana Helmsmen. I was told that you have donated a lot of money to Arkham, The boss thought it would be great if I introduced myself tonight."

The new employee at Arkham, she was pretty and young. Much like Harleen Quinzel, let's hope she didn't get bagged that way too.

"I know the one before me couldn't hold a candle to the people there, but I'm not stupid. I asked not to go to high security, they of course denied me that, but I have been placed on the case of the Riddler as of yesterday."

Good to know she didn't want to be near them, Harleen had been too eager.

"So Joana, enough shop talk. How do you like Gotham so far?"

She gave a quick smiled;

"Like it, it's drearier then I would hope but well choosers can't be beggars."

She was smart and quick. Maybe she would survive Arkham.

"I noticed you came from California. San Jose right?"

She batted her eye lashes.

"Oh, I didn't realize you did background checks on people. Yes, you're right. But I was in Tacoma before that and before that France."

She told what the records had told me. Better not give it all away, nothing to play with if I didn't.

"How was France?"

She looked distance for a moment.

"It was less than I thought, I hated it there. People were unkind to me."

Unkind, she was an attractive young woman. Why wouldn't people like her?

"I must add I have been very...Alone for years. People may interest me but it is hard to- to play nice."

The stutter reminded me too much of Joker. Gods that was shocking enough for me.

"Your parents?"

She gave a sad smile.

"Mother left me a year after she left my father. Father is very ill; He is violent and very unbecoming."

I was sorry to hear that. She had lost her parents due to things they did or had no control over by the sounds of her father.

"Where is your father?"

She gave me a look, I couldn't tell what she was thinking, again reminding me forcefully of the joker.

"In Arkham last I knew. In high security."

The place she hadn't wanted to be. I sighed.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to drag up the unpleasant."

She nodded her eyes wandering;

"Unfortunately he's escaped."

I looked up at her. What the hell was she talking about? A bang and a few screams caught my attention. I saw clowns, oh gods the Joker. I dashed away from her. Not again! He really knew how to crash a party.

* * *

When I returned as Batman, Joker was kicking someone. I punched him square in the jaw. I looked down, an old man. Joana rushed to the man's side. I still had the Joker to deal with; He grinned at me as normal and taunted me. I rushed, feeling the Adrenalin rush through my veins. I hit him again. The others tried to team up on me, I knocked each one out before getting back to the Joker, and he wouldn't harm anyone else tonight!

* * *

I stuck to the shadows in Miss. Helmsmen's apartment. She was hiding something, and she had told me her father had broken out of Arkham, who the hell was her father.

"You know entering a person's apartment without consent is breaking and entering."

She flipped the lights on. She wore a night gown soft green, it went to her ankles.

"What are you hiding?"

Not one of my better moments.

"Not a thing bats."

He called me that too. Would this woman keep reminding me of the Joker?

"Really then explain who your father is."

She rolled her eyes.

"Come back tomorrow when I don't have work Bruce."

I gasped what the hell?

"You're the only one I told about my father. I wanted to know if you were batman or not. I know now, I will not tell on you. Can't because if I don't keep it safe Gotham will burn."

I nodded; I needed to find out about Joana's past, a way to hold something on her.

* * *

I returned and came the right way, I was still dressed in a suit from the meeting I had been in. She answered the door in one knock, I wondered if she had been waiting for me.

"Coffee?"

I nodded and thanked her, sitting in the living room I now had a chance to look at the place and at once I realized she was into Music, Jazz mostly.

"I collect, I like it. Soothing after the day at work."

I took the cup she offered. She wore a nice brown cardigan and some brown lose slacks.

"I take it you still want to know who my father is."

I nodded, I wanted and needed to know, her mother had been a gambler. She got in too deep and the sharks had cut her up, she left her husband who was a technology designer than she had committed suicide while a ten year old Joana had been asleep in another room. Joana had found her mother in the tub and called 911.

"The thing is I hadn't known it was him till I saw him. I knew his name, Mother had yelled at me his name plenty of times. I. I just wanted to know, I took the job at Arkham. If he wasn't there then, then I would move on. He was, The Joker as he is called now..."

I stared in abject terror. The Joker? He was a father? He had been a meek thin man married and with child...And became what he did?

"I don't know what to say."

She gave a little smile full of sorrow.

"Kill him, which is the only way to make him better. My mother broke the man. He is no longer Jack... He is a monster that needs to be put down."


	8. We walk through the valley

**Dreamers Web**

A really short thing that came to mind**  
**

**_warning , spoilers for arkham city!_**

* * *

**We walk through the valley **

She wore her normal face paint but the painted smile was ruined by her true lips frown. Hadn't she thought that I would stop her? She couldn't keep doing this anymore, not without him. It was killing her and it was a shame to see her shatter any further than she had when he broke her mind. She was in black for him though, a mourners garb. The look on her face when I brought him out limp in my arms, the scream of pain and denial still rung in my ears. The loss of the Joker had made this woman something more, something on the edge of sanity even more than in life. Maybe one day she would gain her mind back, but right now...right now Harley Quinn was hell in heels and all that hatred was directed at me. Those baby blues flashed as she growled at me;

"It's all for him batsy, all you gotta do is die."


	9. A mockery of you

**Dreamers Web**

* * *

**A mockery of you**

It wasn't the same, it couldn't be. If only he hadn't left me alone, if only I could have helped him more before he passed on I could have been some one else. I could have been a better person. Maybe if I had never gone to Arkham and never met mista J, but maybes never did anyone any good now did they? It was time to get the bats back for Mista J's death, it was time to act a little bit more crazy.


End file.
